Imagine you’re hiking a dense forest trail.

You’ve got all the right gear: waterproof boots, snacks, and even a map. You’ve trained for this. You know how to read terrain and make calculated choices

But wait, you don’t have a compass.

You walk. You walk with purpose. You think you’re headed in the right direction, but as the hours pass, something starts to feel off.

The trees all look the same

You’ve got skill. You’ve got stamina. But no clarity on direction. That’s what your career can feel like without a personal brand.

Let me introduce you to one of my clients.

Why does your brand matter?

One of my coaching clients, Mike, walked into this realization the hard way. A Nutrition coach with an amazing skill set, solid results, and a reputation for being dependable, Mike was turned down by his prospects.

Because they didn’t trust him.. When he asked, Why? She simply said:
 “Because nobody knows you.”

That stunned him. He thought being visible meant doing good work. He assumed his results would speak louder than his voice.

But in high-performing spaces, everyone delivers.

When the playing field is level in terms of output, what sets you apart isn’t just what you do, it’s who people think you are.

That’s the heart of a personal brand.

Is your reputation your personal brand?

 Your reputation is what people say about you when you’re not in the room. Your personal brand is what you intentionally make sure they say.

Reputation is earned passively. Personal brands are shaped deliberately. It’s about owning your narrative, deciding how you want to be perceived, and aligning your actions, voice, and presence to support that.

You don’t need to be loud. You need to be clear.

So, how do you start building a brand?

Start With What Drives You

Your personal brand starts with one critical question: What do you want to be known for?

Not the roles you’ve held.  Not your technical skills.  But the value you uniquely bring.

Ask yourself:

• What gets me out of bed in the morning?
  
  
• What problems do I love solving?
  
  
• What topics make me lose track of time?
  
  
• What strengths have people consistently seen in me?
  
  

These should be your foundation.

For example, if you thrive in ambiguity and love connecting scattered ideas into a structured strategy, you might build your brand around being a clarity creator.

That becomes your filter for how you show up, the language you use, and the projects you seek out.

Now let’s move to the next big question you have..

Does your personal brand exist outside your organisation?

No, you co-exist together.

Your brand doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
 It lives in an ecosystem: your company, your industry, your team.

Let’s say your organization prizes innovation, risk-taking, and collaboration. You identify as a strong strategist but you’re known for keeping your head down and working solo.

That’s a disconnect.

Your brand has to resonate with both your identity and the context you’re operating in.

So observe:

• Who are the high-visibility players in your company?
  
  
• What behaviors do they consistently model?
  
  
• What language do leaders use when praising someone?
  
  

Once you find where your natural strengths intersect with the organization’s values, you’ve found your brand sweet spot.

Where do I start?

Here’s where many people stall. They get clear on their brand but don’t amplify it to the right people. Like a brilliant product that never gets marketed, a personal brand that no one sees has limited power.

That’s where your stakeholder map comes in.

Identify the people in your ecosystem who:

• Make decisions
  
  
• Influence opportunities
  
  
• Or simply inspire you
  
  

Then, start building authentic relationships. Not coffee-for-coffee ’s-sake meetings. But intentional connections, built on curiosity, alignment, and value exchange.

Send that message. Join that project. Ask that question in the all-hands.

Visibility exists out of vanity.. It’s a strategy.

Show Your Brand in Action

At the end of the day, your personal brand isn’t about what you say in your bio.
 It’s about what people experience of you.

If you want to be known as a trusted collaborator, be the one who creates clarity in meetings.

If you want to be seen as a strategic thinker, start asking better questions, not just giving better answers.

Brand is behavior. Consistency builds trust. Visibility amplifies it.

Final Thought

Mike learned this lesson and changed his approach.
 He started sharing his ideas more freely, connecting with leaders across functions, and aligning his strengths with the company’s future.

Six months later, he got all booked!

So the next time you feel like you’re just another name in a sea of good performers, remember:

Your personal brand is your compass.
 It won’t change the terrain but it will point you in the direction of the future you want to build.

And when others see you walking in that direction with clarity?

They’ll follow.